Croatians head to the polls as pundits foresee return of populist president

NEWS WIRES

12 January 2025 at 2:49 am·1-min read

Croatia’s populist incumbent Zoran Milanovic is expected to triumph in a presidential runoff Sunday to score a second term and obtain the necessary mandate to tackle the country's high inflation and endemic corruption.

Croatians began casting ballots Sunday in a presidential runoff where the incumbent Zoran Milanovic appears set to win a second term, in what would be a blow to the scandal-hit governing party.

Milanovic entered the contest with surging momentum as he faces off against Dragan Primorac, supported by the HDZ party that governs Croatia.

The outspoken incumbent, backed by the left-wing opposition, won more than 49 percent of the vote during the contest's first round two weeks ago -- narrowly missing an outright victory.

Primorac garnered less than 20 percent of the ballots, making it unlikely that he will make up ground in the runoff.

A landslide win by Milanovic would be the latest setbacks for the HDZ and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic -- Milanovic's political arch-rival -- after a high-profile corruption scandal in November.

According to a survey published Thursday, Milanovic was projected to capture more than 62 percent of ballots cast compared to nearly 28 percent for Primorac.

Voting stations will close at 07:00 pm (1800 GMT), when exit polls are expected, and official results are due later Sunday.

'Counterbalance'

Although Croatia's presidential powers are limited, many believe the post is key to maintaining a political balance in the country.

(AFP)

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'Counterbalance'

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